Port Everglades Names Scientist, Planner and Diver to Environmental Program Manager Position

Monday, December 12, 2016 9:00 AM

BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Broward County's Port Everglades has hired local environmental science and planning veteran Erik Neugaard as its new Environmental Program Manager within the Seaport Engineering and Construction Division to oversee all environmental functions and procedures associated with operations and development at the South Florida cruise, cargo and petroleum port, announced Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director Steve Cernak.

"Erik's first-hand knowledge of the South Florida coral reef system, as a scientist and a diver, is a real plus for Port Everglades, especially as we begin the next update to our 20-year Master/Vision Plan," Cernak said. A major component of the Port's 20-Year Master/Vision Plan is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to deepen and widen the Port's entrance and navigation channels, which is currently in the preconstruction engineering and design phase.

Neugaard has 24 years of experience as an environmental scientist and planner with the Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management, Florida Department of Transportation, and as a consultant.

A local scuba diver, Neugaard has also worked as a dive instructor and naturalist for a cruise line, has managed a dive shop, and has captained charter boats and yachts. Local environmental projects he has worked on include the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) Runway Extension, Interstate I-595 Expansion, and Pond Apple Slough Mitigation Wetland Area.

Neugaard earned his Master's Degree in Marine Biology from the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, where he studied Broward County's deep artificial reefs. He has earned certifications from professional associations and organizations as a planner, ecologist, fisheries professional, wetland scientist, wildlife biologist, hazardous materials manager, hazardous waste site operations supervisor, scientific diver and trimix scuba instructor. He is also president of the South Florida Association of Environmental Professionals.

About Port Everglades

As one of Florida's leading economic powerhouses, Broward County's Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Consistently ranked among the top three busiest cruise ports in the world, Port Everglades is also one of the nation's leading container ports and South Florida's main seaport for receiving petroleum products including gasoline, jet fuel and alternative fuels. The Port Everglades Department is a self-supporting Enterprise Fund of Broward County, Florida government with operating revenues of approximately $163 million in Fiscal Year 2016 (October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016). It does not rely on local tax dollars for operations. The total value of economic activity related to Port Everglades is nearly $30 billion. More than 226,000 Florida jobs are impacted by the Port, including 12,840 people who work for companies that provide direct services to Port Everglades. For more information on Port Everglades, go to porteverglades.net or e-mail PortEverglades@broward.org.